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The best ramen in Toronto contains a confluence of flavourful broth, tasty toppings and noodles with a springy bite. A zillion times better than instant noodles, this Japanese fave with Chinese origins has regional variations of all kinds, and aficionados have their own personal preferences.

Here is where to find the best ramen in Toronto.

1

Sansotei Ramen

With four locations in the GTA (and one in Ottawa), there’s a lot to like about this ramen shop that makes its pork bone broth daily. Choose between thick or thin noodles and half a dozen different bowls of soup, including its signature creamy Tonkotsu or the black version, which is topped off with roasted garlic oil.

2

Kinton Ramen (North York)

This ramen purveyor is taking over the city with seven locations (plus one in Montreal). Ordering is a multi-step process that involves deciding between pork or chicken broth, a variety of soup flavours, thin or thick noodles and extra toppings. To keep things fun (and gluttonous), timed “mega” eating challenges are occasionally offered, and those who can meet them eat for free.

3

Ramen Isshin

Over a dozen different kinds of ramen are on offer, including various vegetarian versions with a vegan rice noodle option, at this ramen-ya located at College & Bathurst and in Markham. Its signature bowl is the Black Sesame Tan Tan, which even comes with a mortar and pestle for you to grind in extra black sesame to add more flavour to the broth halfway through eating.

4

Santouka Ramen

A Japanese ramen chain that originated on Hokkaido, its sole Toronto location near Yonge & Dundas, like the others, specializes in Toroniku ramen, which consists of a bowl of bouncy ramen noodles in one of four soup flavours (shio, shoyu, miso or spicy miso) served with a side of melt-in-mouth pork jowl and accompanying colourful toppings.

5

Jinya Ramen

The Toronto location of this North American ramen franchise at Church & Carlton has something for every taste, from its most popular Spicy Chicken Ramen, which lets you choose the spice level, to the tonkotsu-based Cha Cha Cha for garlic lovers. There’s even a vegetarian and a vegan option that can also have spinach noodles substituted in for a little extra.

6

Ramen Raijin

Part of the Zakkushi Group, with an izakaya on Carlton and a couple in Vancouver, this ramen-ya named after the Shinto god of thunder, lightning and storms moved locations from Yonge & Gerrard up to Yonge & Wellesley. Its Tokyo Shoyu Ramen showcases classic wavy noodles in a lean chicken-based broth while the fiery pork-based Spicy Tonkotsu suits the restaurant’s name.

7

Ryus Noodle Bar

After its Baldwin location closed following a fire, Ryus went east and opened a new spot on Broadview just north of the Danforth. A highlight is the Angus Roast Beef Ramen, with tender slices of sous-vide AAA roast beef accompanying your choice of broth, along with bamboo shoots, arugula, white fungus and truffle oil.

8

Hakata Shoryuken Ramen

Found a few blocks north of North York Centre subway station on Yonge St., the ramen here follows traditional recipes from Fukuoka, the proprietor’s hometown. The rich, pork-based tonkotsu broth comes in four variations, and just like in Japan, you can order “kaedama,” or extra noodles, to accompany any leftover soup.

9

Kyouka Ramen

This ramen-ya in the Beaches has Tokyo roots, and its eponymous signature bowl features kelp stock with a complex chicken-and-pork broth. The noodles are topped with a soft-boiled egg, pork and chicken chashu, naruto fish cake, mushrooms, bean sprouts, chives and chili paste.